Animated decoy



April 1951 J. o. SABIN 2,547,286

ANIMATED DECOY Filed Oct. 18, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7 JQSahfn A II may:

April 3, 1951 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 J. o. SABIN ANIMATED DECOY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m'eutar Patented Apr. 3, 1951 3. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMATED DECOY James 0. Sabin, Dalbo, Minn.

Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 704,172 7 2 Claims.

mated decoy especially adapted for use in hunting duck andgeese and by means of which a plurality of decoys or blocks, constructed to simulate the game being hunted and positioned in a locality where such game are likely to'land for feeding, are caused to move in a manner to simulate the natural movement of the simulated birds to thereby cause the animated decoys to more readily attract the game being hunted, due to the fact that the game birds in flight will be lulled into security by the movement of the decoys'and will alight close by without fear of danger.

., More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a mechanical device adapted to be attached to a plurality of decoys by means of which the decoys can be caused to move in the water and in a manner to simulate the natural vmovements of the birds represented by the decoys and more especially the movements of such birds when feeding.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical actuator for decoys of extremely simple construction, which is very light in weight and which is capable of being quickly and easily assembled and positioned for use.

, Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical decoy actuator which may be readily operated by a hunter from a blind or pit at a point remote to the decoys by a simple pull on a line or flexible element connected to the actuating means. 1

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, wherein: Y

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the animated decoy shown in an operative position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

V Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of the central portion of the mechanical actuator;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional'view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3; V Figure 5is a vertical sectionalview taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indipated by the line 5-6 of Figure 3, and

Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line l--'! of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the animated decoy in its entirety is designated generally lo and in the embodiment of the. invention herein disclosed includes four decoys ll constructed to simulate ducks and which may be of any conventional construction, shape, size and coloring and which, being disposed in the water, are formed of a buoyant material so as to float on the surface thereof.

The animated decoy It) also includes a mechanical actuating means, designated generally l2 for imparting movement to the decoys or blocks I l to realistically simulate the natural movement of ducks in the water. The actuating means l2 includes a stake [3 having a pointed lower end it which is adapted to be driven into the bottom 55 of a body of water the surface of which is indicated by the broken line I6. 'The stake or post 13 is disposed in upright position and extends to above the surface l6 and provides the sole means of support for the mechanical actuator l2, of which-it forms a part. A sleeve I1 is slidably disposed on thestake l3 and removably applied thereto and is provided adjacent its upper end with a set screw) for adjustably fastening thesleeve I! to the stake I3, so that the upper end thereof will be disposed, substantially at the level of the surface of the water, as indicated at I6. An outer sleeve I9 is turnably disposed on the sleeve l7 and after being applied thereto, the ends of the sleeve H are flared to form an upper retaining collar 29 and a lower retaining collar 2| to prevent removal of the outer sleeve I9. The outer sleeve I9 adjacent its lower end, is flared to form an annu ar flange or collar 22 which rests on and rotatably engages the lower flange 2! for normal y supporting the sleeve I9 relatively to the sleeve I! and in the position as illustrated in Figure 2. The sleeve l9, intermediate of its ends, is provided with three longitudinally spaced, annular flanges 23 forming an upper annular groove 24 and a lower annular groove 25, Above the flanges 23, the sleeve I9 is provided with preferably four circumferentially spaced pairs of outwardly projecting apertured ears 26.

An arm 21 is pivotally supported between each pair of ears 26, as best illustrated in Figure '7. The arms 27 are provided with downturned inner ends 28 and each of said arms 21, at the apex ,formed by the downturned end 28, is disposed between the ears'of one of the pairs of cars 28 and pivotally connected thereto by a rivet or 3 other fastening 29. When the arms 21 are disposed in substantially horizontal position, as seen in Figure 2, the downturned portions 28 thereof bear against the sleeve l9 to prevent the arms from swinging downwardly below a horizontal position. However, it will be readily apparent that the arms 21 may be swung upwardly on the pivots 29 to positions substantially parallel to the axis of the sleeves l1 and- I9. A short flexible member 30,-is connected to .eaeh arm 21, ad! jacent its outer end and has a hook 3| connected to its free end and which is adapted to engage an eye fastening 32 which is anchored in and projects from the underside of one of thedecoys II. It will thus be readily apparent that. one'Q the decoys H is in this manner connected to each of the arms 21, as clearly illustratedin'Fig The hooks 3| are formed of a resilient ure 2. material and the bill por ions thereof normally ahutor substantially abut the hook shanks to insure that the decoys II: will not become accidentally disengaged fromthe-arm s 21: It will hereadily apparent that the hunter may grasp the decoys l l by their heads for lifting them out ofthe water andfor thereby swinging the arms Zlupwardly on their pivots 29; so that the decoys maybe detachedorattached to the mechanicalactuator 12 without the necessity of the hunter suhmerging his, hand into the water.

A line 33, or other flexiblemember, is fastened at one end in any suitable manner in the upper channel or groove 24 and is wound several turns one direction therearound; A-similar line or flexiblemember 34'is anchored at o'neend in the lower channel 25 and is wound several turns therearound in theopposite direction; Two split rings 35-are turnably disposed on the sleeve l9, above and beneath the flanges 23. The rings'35 are connected to or formed integral with the inturned terminals or arms; 36of a bar 31 which is spa ced outwardlythereby fromthe flanges 23. Bar 31 is provided with longitudinally spaced openings forming upper and lower eyes or guides 3?, 39, respectively. The eye 38 is disposed at substantially the same level as the groove or channel 2 4 while theeye 39 is disposed at'the'level of the channel 25', as best illustrated in Figure 3. Theli-ne 33 extends through and is guided'by the eye 38 and the line 34 extends through and guided by the eye 39, which eyes are properly spaced from one another for receiving the lines or flexible members33 and 34'from the channels an 25 from which; they extend, as seen in Figure 5. The lines or flexible members 33; and 34 are adapted to extend to a remote point, as for example where a blind is locatedand within shooting distance of the animated decoy [0.

om the q e o ne. it wi l eread ly p ar n hat ahunt it in he b indr o s y r ferred to, but not shown, may by pulling on the line 34 cause the sleeve l91to revolve in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 1, about the sleeve H and post I3 and within the rings 35 to thereby cause the decoys H to move in, a circle around the stake l3and a manner to simulate ducks whichare swimming and feeding, on the water. The line is pulled very slowly as it will bereadily apparent that thedecoys; ll execute a complete circle each time that the sleeve I9 is revolved one revolution. The eyes 32 are fastened to the decoys forwardlyof their centers, so that when the other line 33 is pulled, the decoys will be caused toturn about'and move in the opposite direction, thereby very realistically simulating the normal turning movements of ducks while in the &

water. It will be readily obvious that as one or the flexible members or lines 33 or 34 is being pulled, said line will be paid off the sleeve 19 while the other line is being wound thereon. The guides 38 and 39 assist in keeping the lines 33 and 34 properly positioned relatively to the grooves 24 and 25 and also tend to keep the lines sufficiently submerged so that they will not be engagedby. the arms 21.

From the foreg oing description, itiwill be readily apparent that the only part of the animated decoy [0 which will be disposed above the water surface IE will be the decoys H and the upper partzof the stake l3 and as stakes protruding from L: the surfaceof a body of water are very common,

it will be readily obvious that there is nothing visible which. willtend to alarm or frighten a flock of ducks while the swimming movement of the decoys II will readily reassure the ducks in flight to cause them to alight on the water close to-thedecoys.

The numberof arms 21 and the length there'- ofmay obviously be varied and various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as here inafter defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. Inan animateddecoy, a stake adapted to be driven into the bottomof a body of water for positioning said stake in an upright position and with the upper end thereof disposed above the surface, a sleeve detachably and slidabl-y mounted-on said stake-and having means for detachably securing it thereto, said sleeve having aflange at its lower end and being adapted to be disposed with-its upper end adjacent the surface of the water, a second sleeve supported on said flange and rotatably mounted on said first mentioned sleeve, a plurality of arms connected to and projecting radially from saidsecond sleeve, flexible tether members connected-to said arms adjacent their free ends and adapted to be detach-ably fastened to-bouyant decoys, said arms being disposed beneath the surface of the water and said decoys being freely supported on the surface thereof, and actuating means connected to said second sleeve to cause the second sleeve-and arms to oscillate relatively to the first mentioned sleeve and stake for causing-said decoys to-be propelled-in'opposite directions on the surface of the water and in a circle around the'stake.

2. Ananimated decoy as in claim 1, said arms being pivotally connected to thesecondsleeve for vertical swinging movement relatively there-.- to; andmeans to limit the downward swinging movement of the arms and to support the'arms in substantially; horizontally positions and substantially perpendicular to the sleeves and stake.

JAMES o. sABIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of recford in, the file f his. pa e t:

UNITED STATEQ PATENTS Number Name Date;

175,414 Bouscay, Jr. Mar: 28, 1876 437,909 seym'our nu Oct .:'7,' 1890 765,093 Miller July 12,1904

1,376,282 Kaufiman Apr. 26, 1921 1,389,926 Ahlmg-ren Sept. 6, 1921 1,612,604- Branden Dec. 28, 1926 2,252,795 Weemaet a1 Aug. 19, 1941 

